Visible scoring device for bridge players



April 1934- E. w. CARPENTER VISIBLE SCORING DEVICE FOR BRIDGE PLAYERS Filed April 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 8C0 RE KEEPER A wwmlioz l I I. I l I I I I l llllk 1 I I I l l I l1 April 1934- E. w. CARPENTER 1,955,452

VISIBLE SCORING DEVICE FOR BRIDGE PLAYERS Filed April 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 THEY Patented Apr. 1?, 1934 UNlTlE'; STTES TNT iii VISIBLE SCORING DEVICE FOR BRIDGE PLAYERS 1 3 Connecticut Bridgeport, 001m,

a corporation of Application April 22, 1932, Serial No. 6%,798

Claims.

cc to write or enter the score but once to c "d. it on two sheets, the device including means easily visible to the four players at a table. An additional object is to provide a bridge score ieet for use with my improved display means and vhi l? sheet includes means for co-operating with he supporting or isplay means whereby said sheet be easily applied and removed for relacement after use.

A further object is to provide a scoring device having the characteristics described and which is of simple construction and or" neat and attractive appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit or" the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view or" the improved device in folded position ready to have a score written thereon;

Fig. 2 a side elevational view looking from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view looking from the upper end of Fig. 1, the top score sheet being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line l-i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is the detail sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the device in open or display position, the top score sheet being omitted;

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view looking from the lower side of Fig. 6;

8 is a plan View of a card table showing the position of the four players and showing the scoring device in display position; and

Fig. 9 is a view showing an improved score sheet for use with the device.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the improved device includes a base generally indicated at 10 and which includes a fiat upper or top surface 11. This base is preferably pressed up from reasonably heavy sheet metal stock in order that the device will remain in a desired location and not be likely to tip over. Attached to the base adjacent one of the edges thereof are a pair of spaced hinges 12 which may be secured to the base in any desired manner or by any desired means as for example the rivets 13.

A plate 14, preferably of metal, is provided, and at one of its edges this plate is secured to the hinges 12 as by rivets or he like 15. Owing to this hinged connection the plate 14 is movable with the base 10 and is also movable relative to the A small L-shaped bracket 16 has one arm secured to the plate 14 and the other arm 17 of this bracket is adapted to limit movement of the plate relative to the base. A knob or finger piece 18 is secured as by riveting, Welding or the like to the plate 14 and this knob provides a means for manipulating the plate. That is, by grasping the knob the plate may be raised from a horizontal position on the base to a vertical position at right angles to the base, movement or" the plate beyond this vertical position being prevented by the foot piece or arm 17 of the bracket 16.

The plate 14 is adapted to support a pad 19 comprising a cardboard box 20 and a series of score sheets 21. For this purpose a series of ears 22 are struck up from the plate and it will be noted that these ears are formed adjacent the bottom or hinged edge portion oi the plate and adjacent the side edge portions of the plate. Due to this arrangement the cardboard back 29 of the pad may be slipped under the ears adjacent the side edges of the plate and the pad then shifted downwardly to dispose the lower edge portion of its back beneath the ears 22 at the hinged edge of the plate. From this it will be understood that the score sheets 21 of the pad do not have their edge portion disposed under the cars 22 and that said ears are adapted to overlie only the back of the pad 19 whereby the sheets forming the pad may be torn off as they are used.

A bracket 23 is formed with or secured to plate 14 at the upper corner thereof remote from the knob 18 and this bracket includes a right angularly disposed ear portion 24 to which is pivotally secured one end of a strap 25 as by a rivet or the like 26. The other end portion of this strap is pivotally mounted as by a screw 27 passing upwardly through the horizontal portion 28 of a bracket 29 formed with or rigidly secured to the upper bar 30 of an open frame 31. It will be noted that the bracket 29 is disposed intermediate the ends of the frame bar 30 and threaded onto the screw 27 is a flat nut or finger piece 32 which serves to retain the end of strap 25 on the screw and which also functions as an operating member as will later appear.

In addition to the bar 30 the open frame 31 includes side bars 33 and as and a bottom bar 35, the said bars combining to form a substantially rectangular frame. Phe side bars 33 and 34 each carry a pair of knobs or projections 36 and it will be noted that the knobs on the bar 34 are not spaced apart as are the knobs on the bar 33 although they are not necessarily so arranged, and as these knobs serve to removably attach a top score sheet to the frame, as will later more fully appear, they will serve as a guide to make sure that the top score sheets are properly mounted on the frame. The upper bar 30 and the side bars 33 and 34 of the frame have their outer edges rolled over as at 37 and these rolled over edge portions are adapted to assist in properly positioning the frame relative to the plate 14 when the frame and plate are in folded position as will later appear. They also strengthen the side members of the frame. Further, the base 10 in its upper fiat side 11 is provided with a perforation 38 to receive a pin or extension 39 carried by the frame and adapted to enter said perforation as will later appear.

Frame 31 as above suggested is adapted to carry a score sheet 40 and this score sheet which is designated the top score sheet is shown detached in Fig. 9. Sheet 40 is preferably formed of paper and on its front surface is provided with vertical and horizontal lines as is customary for bridge scoring and is the same as the rulings on the top surfaces of the sheets 21 on the pad 19. Its rear surface is coated with carbon as at 41 whereby scores written or entered on its front surface will be transferred to the uppermost score sheet of the pad 19 as will later more fully appear. Also, this sheet 40 is provided with openings or perforations 42 adapted to receive the knobs or pins 36 when the score sheet is mounted on the frame 31.

Owing to the fact that the strap or link 25 is pivoted to the bracket 23 on the plate 14 the said strap may be swung on the rivet 26 to carry the frame 31 away from the plate 14. When this has been done the plate is exposed and a pad 19 may be mounted on the plate as above described. Next, the frame may be returned to a position over the plate and the top score sheet 40 mounted on the frame. With the plate disposed against the base and the frame disposed on the plate the carbon side 41 of the top score sheet will be disposed against the uppermost score sheet 21 of the pad 19.

As the rolled edges 37 of the frame engage the edges of the plate 14 the frame will be centered about the plate and the top score sheet 49 will be properly aligned with the uppermost score sheet of pad 19. That is, the lines dividing the top score sheet will coincide with the lines of the score sheets forming the pad so that entries made on the top score sheet will appear in the same columns on the first or uppermost score sheet of the pad. Since the pins 36 on the frame are disposed different distances apart and as the openings 42 in the top score sheet are correspondingly spaced it will be apparent that the top score sheet must always be properly positioned on the frame.

After a score has been entered, the score keeper grasps the knob 18 with one hand and then raises the plate 14 from its horizontal position against the base to its vertical position substantially at right angles to the base. Next, he grasps the finger piece 32 with his other hand and draws the same outwardly in a direction away from the plate with the pivot 26 between the end of strap 25 and the bracket 23 forming an axis. This is as suggested by the broken lines in Fig. 6 and this movement is continued and the frame swung into the full line position of that figure and of Fig. '7. As the parts are shifted about the pivot 26 the screw 27 turns in the end of the strap 25 with the result that the top score sheet 40 is kept facing outwardly, the finger piece 32 and the screw 2'7 being rigid with the frame but turnable relative to the strap 25.

At the end of this movement the pin or extension 39 on the frame is disposed in the opening 38 in the base and the parts are secured in the relative positions in which they are shown in Figs. 6 and 7 That is, the plate 14 and the frame 31 are arranged in angularly related vertical planes. As both the plate and the frame carry a sheet having the score written thereon it will be apparent that the score is displayed in two planes substantially at right angles to one another.

In Fig. 8 a card table is indicated at 43 and the players about the table are indicated at A, B, C, and D, A being the score keeper. With the device folded as in Fig. 1, A enters a score on the top sheet 40 and owing to the carbon back on this sheet the score is also entered on the uppermost sheet of the pad 19. Next, A raises the plate 14 to a vertical position and swings the frame 31 to its position substantially at right angles to the plate as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. Then he turns the entire device through an angle of approximately 90 whereby the top score sheet 40 will be easily visible to players C and D while the carbon copy comprising the uppermost sheet of the pad 19 will be easily visible to the score keeper and to the player B.

From the foregoing description it will be seen.

that the score keeper enters the score but once in the regular way and that he then opens the device to display position showing two score sheets each with the score marked thereon and with the two sheets being so disposed relatively that one or the other of them is easily visible to each player. Therefore, it is unlikely that a player will make a bid without taking the score into consideration. At least there will be no excuse for his doing so. When the next score is to be entered it is but necessary to swing the frame 31 into position in front of the plate 14 and "to then lower both the plate and the frame into horizontal position in which position the top score sheet 40 will be disposed against the uppermost score sheet of the pad 19 and be properly centered with respect thereto whereby an entry made on the top score sheet will simultaneously be made at the proper point on the score sheet of the pad. It will also be noted particularly by reference to Fig. 1 that the ears 22 are so located as to substantially engage the inner edges of the frame when the frame is in horizontal position whereby to further insist on centering the frame on the plate.

The bracket 16 which forms the stop when the plate reaches its vertical position may, of course, be carried by the base rather than the plate and as a matter of fact one or both of the hinges 12 may be of the type including a stop means. Further, it is to be noted that the sheets 21 of the pad 19 are not disposed under the cars 22 and these sheets may, therefore, be easily removed when used. When the device is in open or display position, the pin or extension 39 being disposed in the opening 38 in the base serves to secure the parts against collapse.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one edge of said plate to the base whereby the plate is movable between a horizontal position against said base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, means connecting said frame with the plate for movement toward and from the plate and for turning movement relative thereto whereby the frame may be shifted from a position against the plate to an upright position at substantially right angles to the plate when the plate is upright to display said score sheets in angularly related planes, and said frame so arranged as to support the top score sheet over the score sheet on the plate when the frame is against the plate.

2. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one edge of said plate to the base whereby the plate is movable between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, a strap pivoted at one end to said plate and at its other end to said frame whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet against the score sheet on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, and said frame adapted to be moved away fromthe plate and turned into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to display the score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to upright position.

3. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a pair of members shiftable from horizontal positions one on top of the other to upright positions in angularly related planes, one of said members comprising an open frame, means on each of said members for supporting a score sheet, said open frame member adapted to support a top score sheet disposed against the other score sheet when the members are arranged horizontally one on the other, and said members adapted to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when said members are disposed upright.

4. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one edge of said plate to the base whereby the plate is movable between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, ears extruded from said plate for attaching a pad of score sheets thereto, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, a strap pivoted at one end to said plate and at its other end to said frame whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet disposed against the uppermost score sheet of the pad on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, and said frame adapted to be moved away from the plate and turned into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to dispose said score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to an upright position.

5. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one edge of said plate to the base whereby the plate is movable between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, means connecting said frame with said plate whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet against the score sheet on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, said frame adapted to be moved away from the plate and into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to upright position, and co-operating means on the base and frame for securing the plate and frame in their angularly related upright positions.

6. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one edge of said plate to the base whereby the plate is movable between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, means connecting said frame with said plate whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet against the score sheet on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, said frame adapted to be moved away from the plate and into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to upright position, said base having an opening therein, and an extension on said frame to enter said opening and secure the frame and through it the plate in upright position.

7. In a visible scoring device for bridge players a base member, a plate member, means hingedly connecting one end of the plate member to the base member, a stop on one of said members whereby th plate member is movable only between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, means connecting said frame with said plate whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet against the score sheet on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, and said frame adapted to be moved away from the plate and into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to upright position.

8. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one edge of said plate to the base whereby the plate is movable between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, means connecting said frame with said plate whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet against the score sheet on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, said frame adapted to be moved away from the plate and into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to upright position, and said frame including angula-rly disposed edge portions to fit about the edges of the plate to align the top score sheet with the sheet on the plate when the frame is disposed on the plate.

9. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a plate, means hingedly connecting one end of the plate to the base, a stop whereby the plate is movable on said hinged connection only between a horizontal position against the base and an upright position with respect thereto, means for attaching a score sheet to said plate, an open frame, means for removably attaching a top score sheet to said open frame, means connecting said frame with said plate whereby the frame may be moved away from the plate and turned relative thereto, said frame adapted to be disposed against said plate with the top score sheet against the score sheet on the plate when the latter is in horizontal position, and said frame adapted to be moved away from the plate and into a plane at substantially right angles thereto to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when the plate is moved to upright position.

10. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a pair of members shiftable from horizontal positions one on top of the other to upright positions in angularly related planes, one of said members comprising a plate and the other of said members comprising an open frame, means for securing a score sheet on said plate member, said open frame having a series of projections thereon adapted to be received in perforations in a score sheet whereby the sheet may be removably mounted on the open frame, said open frame adapted to dispose the top score sheet over the other score sheet when the members are arranged horizontally one on the other, and said members adapted to display said score sheets in angularly related planes when said members are disposed upright.

11. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a support connected to the base for carrying a score sheet, a second support for carrying a second score sheet in position over the first sheet whereby scores entered on the second sheet may be simultaneously entered on the first sheet, and means for mounting the supports on the base to be shifted from the scoring position to upright positions in planes at substantially right angles to each other.

12. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a pair of supports for carrying scoring sheets, means for mounting said supports to position the sheets carried thereby in superimposed relation for entering the score simultaneously on both sheets and also for positioning the sheets in upright positions in planes at sufficient angles to each other that the scores are simultaneously visible from a plurality of different directions.

13. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a base, a support on the base for carrying a score sheet, a second support for carrying a second score sheet having transfer means on its back surface, means for mounting the supports so that the sheets may be brought to superimposed position to permit simultaneous entering of the score on both sheets, and means for supporting the supports in upright positions in planes extending transversely to each other to render the score visible from a plurality of different directions.

14. A bridge score sheet comprising a sheet of paper divided on its face into columns, said sheet having a carbon back, said sheet having a plurality of openings in each of a pair of its opposite edge portions, said openings in one edge portion of the sheet arranged out of alignment with those in the opposite edge portion thereof, and said perforations adapting said sheet for mounting on a support including similarly positioned projections for mounting a score sheet whereby the sheet is always mounted with the scoring columns in the same relation to the frame.

15. In a visible scoring device for bridge players, a pair of members shiftable from horizontal positions one over the other to upright positions in angularly related planes, means for supporting a score sheet on the lower member, the upper member comprising an open frame having projections on opposite side portions, said projections on one side portion being out of alignment with those on the other side to enter openings in a second sheet spaced to correspond with the projections on the frame so as to mount this sheet on the frame and always in the same position, and said frame adapted to dispose the second score sheet over the first score sheet when the members are disposed one over the other.

EDWARD W. CARPENTER. 

